Web splicing tab



3, 1965 P. M. BUETTEL 3,198,452

WEB SPLICING TAB Filed Jan. 8, 1964 FIG. 2

INVENTOR PAUL M TTHUE BUETTZL BY W inn 6*, 43 x. M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,198,452 Patented Aug. 3, 1965 3,198,452 WEB SPLHCING TAB Paul Matthue Buettel, Colonia, Railway, N.J., assignor to Wood Newspaper Machinery Corporation, Plainiield, Ni, a corporation of Virginia Filed Jan. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 336,440 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-535) The present invention is for a method and means for splicing a new web roll to an expiring web. It is particularly directed to a method of splicing a new web roll wherein a bond is achieved at all points across the web and to a novel splicing tape.

In offset web fed presses the web is under extremely high tension. In addition, the web is subjected to high heat and humidity, especially when it passes through the ink drying ovens. These conditions place a premium upon sound splicing techniques, for unless there is a uniform and complete splice between the expiring web and the new web roll a concentration of stress will occur adjacent the portion in the web which has not been bonded. Wrinkling of the web is thus likely and the imbalance of forces across the web. may result in a tear or break.

The difficulty of achieving a complete and uniform splice is increased when a surface drive belt is used to bring the new web roll up to Web speed. Since the drive belt is in contact with the surface of the new web roll, a portion of the leading edge to be spliced is sometimes left free of any adhesive to permit the passage of the belt without fouling the belt with adhesive. This obviously leaves an unbonded portion when the splice is made. In the alternative, the adhesive may be covered with tearable tabs which prevent contact between the adhesive and the belt until the moment the splice is to be made. At that time the tab is torn away. Such tab devices are necessarily somewhat complicated, and not entirely reliable.

The foregoing problems are substantially overcome by splicing the new web roll to the expiring web in accordance with the present invention. Broadly, the present invention is for a method and tape for splicing a new web roll to an expiring web. The method comprises applying an adhesive to the roll along a portion of the border zone adjacent the leading edge of the new web roll. A second adhesive is then applied to the remaining portion of that zone. Raised non-adhesive strips are secured to the roll in the remaining portion of the border zone. The new web roll is then rotated by means of a drive belt which contacts the roll and runs through the remaining portion of the zone and over the non-adhesive strips. Contact between the belt and the adhesive is prevented by the non-adhesive strips. The expiring web is then pressed into engagement with the new web roll whereby all the adhesives are brought in contact with the expiring web eiiecting a splice.

The splicing tape comprises a ribbon portion with a base adhesive on the bottom of the ribbon and a splicing adhesive on the top of the ribbon portion. Raised nonadhesive strips are located on top of the ribbon portion and are relatively spaced from each other.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by reference to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a rotatable spider carrying an expiring web roll and a new web roll driven by a corrugated drive belt;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the new web roll showing the relationship of the applied adhesives;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a splicing tape having raised non-adhesive strips which is used in the preferred embodiment of the invent-ion; and

FIG. 4 is a section of the tape of FIG. 3 taken through line 4-4 and showing a portion of the drive belt overrunning it.

Referring to FIG. 1, a rotatable spider 2 has mounted upon it an expiring web roll 4, a new web roll 6, and a reserve Web roll 8. A web ll) is shown travelling from the expiring web roll 4 to a printing press (not shown) over a roller 12. Rotating new web roll 6 is a drive mechanism denoted generally as 14. A brush 16 is shown in position to be rotated about pin 18 and thus to press the Web 10 against the new web roll 6.

The drive mechanism 14 comprises a corrugated drive belt 20 having a plurality of lugs 22 in contact with the new web roll 6. The drive belt 20 is continuous and is disposed over rollers 24. The drive belt 26 of drive mechanism 14 is brought into contact with the new Web roll by movement of the arm 26.

FIG. 2 shows the leading edge 30 of the new web roll 6. The edge 30 may be straight, but is cut in the manner illustrated to provide greater contact area across the web. Adjacent the leading edge 36 and across the width of the roll 6 is a border zone 32 in which a bonding adhesive 33 is applied. The width of the border zone 32 is not precise but is in the order of several inches. In the initial application of bonding adhesive 33 in the border zone 32 a remaining portion 34 of that zone is left free of adhesive. That remaining portion 34 is the area through which the drive belt 20 passes and will be variously referred to as the remaining portion or drive belt zone.

A splicing tape 36 is secured in the drive belt zone 34. Splicing tape 35 is best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Referring to those figures, the splicing tape 36 comprises a ribbon 38 with a base adhesive 48 on the bottom. A splicing adhesive 42 is located on the upper surface of the ribbon 33. A pair of relatively spaced raised non-adhesive strips 44 are secured to the upper surface of the ribbon 33 and along its sides. Thus, when the splicing tape 36 is secured to the roll 6 in the drive belt zone 34, a surface of adhesive is presented which is bound in part by the raised non-adhesive strips 44. The splicing tape 36 is preferably applied at an angle with respect to the axis of the roll 6.

The spacing and angle of the splicing tape 36 and especially the raised non-adhesive strips 44 is important. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the dimension across the face of the adhesive portion 42 which is presented to the lug faces 23 must be less than the corresponding dimension across the lug face. This is to insure that lug faces 23 do no contact adhesive portion 42. Where, as in FIG. 4 the drive belt 26 runs transversely to the axis of the splicing tape 36 the di-- mension a must be less than dimension [2. Where the splicing tape 36 is at an angle with respect to the axis of the web roll 6, and thus to the drive belt 29, the dimension a may be greater than b to an extent determined in part by the width of the drive belt 20. The particular combination of tape widths and angles may vary, the important consideration being, however, that the face 23 of the lug 22 be greater than the opposing area of the adhesive 42 when the drive belt 20 runs over the splicing tape 36.

The invention is practiced as follows. Bonding adhesive 33 is first applied to the border zone 32 adjacent the leading edge 30 of the new web roll 6. The drive belt zone 34 is left free of adhesive. In the drive belt zone 34 is applied the splicing tape 36. Thus, adhesive is present within the entire zone 32 across the roll and adjacent the leading edge 30.

Roll 6, on spider 2, is then rotated by drive belt 20. The drive belt 20 is positioned so that it runs through drive belt zone 34 and over the splicing tape 36 secured in that zone. However, the lugs 22 of the drive belt 20 do not contact the adhesive portion 42. No contact is made for two reasons: (a) the raised non-adhesive strips 44, and (b) the diagonal orientation of the splicing tape 36. Both factors combine to support the lugs 22 above the adhesive surface 42. Although a diagonal orientation is preferred it is not essential. The same results can be achieved with the splicing tape oriented parallel to the axis of the roll 6. All that would then be required is a dimensional difference in spacing the non-adhesive strips 44 as described above.

When the roll 6 has attained the requisite speed, the brush 16 is pressed against the Web 10 thus bringing the web 10 in contact with roll 6. As the roll 6 turns, the adhesive 33 and 42 bond the roll to the web 10. Automatic control devices (not shown) initiate the splicing cycle and further cause the trailing end of the web 10 to be severed and the spider 2 to rotate new roll 6 into the position formerly occupied by roll 4.

Uniformly satisfactory splices resulted. It might have been expected that the raised non-adhesive strips 44 would prevent good adhesive contact in the drive belt zone 34. Such is not the case. Whereas the drive belt lugs 22 are substantially non-resilient and thus bridge the space between the non-adhesive strips 44, the paper of the web has sufiicient flexibility to permit its being pressed into that space by the action of the brush 16. Thus, a bond is made in all areas across the width of the roll. The splice becomes stronger as the web is subjected to squeezing forces as it passes through rollers in the press.

I claim:

1. A splicing tape for splicing a new web roll to an expiring web, which splicing tape comprises a ribbon portion, a base adhesive on the bottom of said ribbon portion for securing said splicing tape to said new Web roll, a splicing adhesive atop said ribbon portion for securing'said new web roll to said expiring web, and raised non-adhesive strips atop said ribbon portion and relatively spaced from each other to prevent contact between a drive belt and said splicing adhesive.

2. A splicing tape for splicing a new web roll to an expiring web, which splicing tape comprises a ribbon portion, a base adhesive on the bottom of said ribbon portion for securing said splicing tape to said new web roll, a plicing adhesive atop said ribbon portion for securing said new web roll to said expiring web, and a pair of raised non-adhesive strips atop said ribbon portion and relatively spaced from each other and from the longitudinal axis of said ribbon portion to prevent contact between a drive belt and said splicing adhesive.

3. A splicing tape for splicing a new Web roll to an expiring web, which splicing tape comprises a ribbon portion, a base adhesive on the bottom of said ribbon portion for securing said splicing tape to said new web roll, a splicing adhesive atop said ribbon portion for securing said new web roll to said expiring web and raised non-adhesive strips atop said ribbon portion, said non-adhesive strips further being relatively spaced from each other, and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said ribbon portion to prevent contact between a drive belt and said splicing adhesive.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,526 5/39 Tollison 24253 2,167,810 8/39 Mackley 242-58 2,212,937 8/40 Horton 242--58.5 3,006,568 10/61 Willis 242-485 0 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SPLICING TAPE FOR SPLICING A NEW WEB ROLL TO AN EXPIRING WEB, WHICH SPLICING TAPE COMPRISES A RIBBON PORTION, A BASE ADHESIVE ON THE BOTTOM OF SAID RIBBON PORTION FOR SECURING SAID SPLICING TAPE TO SAID NEW WEB ROLL, A SPLICING ADHESIVE ATOP SAID RIBBON PORTION FOR SECURING SAID NEW WEB ROLL TO SAID EXPIRING WEB, AND RAISED NON-ADHESIVE STRIPS ATOP SAID RIBBON PORTION AND RELATIVELY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER TO PREVENT CONTACT BETWEEN A DRIVE BELT AND SAID SPLICING ADHESIVE. 